Interventions for Pancreatitis-New Approaches, Knowledge Gaps, and Research Opportunities: Summary of a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Workshop.

There exists no cure for acute, recurrent acute or chronic pancreatitis and treatments to date have been focused on managing symptoms. A recent workshop held by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) focused on interventions that might disrupt or perhaps even reverse the natural course of this heterogenous disease, aiming to identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities that might inform future funding initiatives for NIDDK. The breadth and variety of identified active or planned clinical trials traverses the spectrum of the disease and was conceptually grouped for the workshop into behavioral, nutritional, pharmacologic and biologic, and mechanical interventions.

Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of NLY01 in early untreated Parkinson's disease: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Converging lines of evidence suggest that microglia are relevant to Parkinson's disease pathogenesis, justifying exploration of therapeutic agents thought to attenuate pathogenic microglial function. We sought to test the safety and efficacy of NLY01-a brain-penetrant, pegylated, longer-lasting version of exenatide (a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist) that is believed to be anti-inflammatory via reduction of microglia activation-in Parkinson's disease.

Methods: We report a 36-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of NLY01 in participants with early untreated Parkinson's disease conducted at 58 movement disorder clinics in the USA.

Complete Genome Sequences of Five SO-1-Like Bacteriophages That Infect .

The order is composed of Gram-negative bacteria that range from harmless symbionts to well-studied pathogens. We announce complete genome sequences of five related SO-1-like bacteriophages (also known as the genus) isolated from wastewater that infect Escherichia coli (Opt-212, Over9000, Pubbukkers, and Teewinot) or Shigella boydii (StarDew).

A remarkable new species of spittlebug and a second living New World genus in the Clastopteridae (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea).

A new species of Neotropical spittlebug (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Clastopteridae), Paraclastoptera erwini sp. n., is described and illustrated from Orellana, Ecuador.

Inherited Chromosomally Integrated Human Herpesvirus 6 Genomes Are Ancient, Intact, and Potentially Able To Reactivate from Telomeres.

The genomes of human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and HHV-6B have the capacity to integrate into telomeres, the essential capping structures of chromosomes that play roles in cancer and ageing. About 1% of people worldwide are carriers of chromosomally integrated HHV-6 (ciHHV-6), which is inherited as a genetic trait. Understanding the consequences of integration for the evolution of the viral genome, for the telomere, and for the risk of disease associated with carrier status is hampered by a lack of knowledge about ciHHV-6 genomes.

HHV-8-unrelated primary effusion-like lymphoma associated with clonal loss of inherited chromosomally-integrated human herpesvirus-6A from the telomere of chromosome 19q.

Primary effusion lymphomas (PEL) are associated with human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) and usually occur in immunocompromised individuals. However, there are numerous reports of HHV-8-unrelated PEL-like lymphomas with unknown aetiology. Here we characterize an HHV-8-unrelated PEL-like lymphoma in an elderly woman who was negative for human immunodeficiency viruses 1 and 2, and hepatitis B and C.

High Yield Non-detergent Isolation of Photosystem I-Light-harvesting Chlorophyll II Membranes from Spinach Thylakoids: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE PS I ANTENNAE IN HIGHER PLANTS.

Styrene-maleic acid copolymer was used to effect a non-detergent partial solubilization of thylakoids from spinach. A high density membrane fraction, which was not solubilized by the copolymer, was isolated and was highly enriched in the Photosystem (PS) I-light-harvesting chlorophyll (LHC) II supercomplex and depleted of PS II, the cytochrome b6/f complex, and ATP synthase. The LHC II associated with the supercomplex appeared to be energetically coupled to PS I based on 77 K fluorescence, P700 photooxidation, and PS I electron transport light saturation experiments.

Gammaherpesviruses and canine lymphoma: no evidence for direct involvement in commonly occurring lymphomas.

Lymphoma is the most common haematopoietic malignancy in dogs, but little is known about the aetiology of this heterogeneous group of cancers. In humans, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with several lymphoma subtypes. Recently, it was suggested that EBV or an EBV-like virus is circulating in dogs.

Germ-line transmitted, chromosomally integrated HHV-6 and classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

A unique feature of both human herpesvirus 6A and B (HHV-6A and B) among human herpesviruses is their ability to integrate into chromosomal telomeres. In some individuals integrated viral genomes are present in the germ-line and result in the vertical transmission of HHV-6; however, little is known about the disease associations of germ-line transmitted, chromosomally integrated HHV-6 (ciHHV-6). Recent publications suggest that HHV-6 is associated with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL).

Photoheterotrophic growth of Physcomitrella patens.

Physcomitrella patens is a model bryophyte representing an early land plant in the green plant lineage. This organism possesses many advantages as a model organism. Its genome has been sequenced, its predominant life cycle stage is the haploid gametophyte, it is readily transformable and it can integrate transformed DNA into its genome by homologous recombination.

Two new genera of tube-making spittlebugs (Hemiptera: Machaerotidae: Enderleiniini).

Two new monotypic spittlebug genera and their type species in the family Machaerotidae, subfamily Enderleiniinae, are described and illustrated: Labramachaerota korupa gen. & sp. n.

The replication defect of ICP0-null mutant herpes simplex virus 1 can be largely complemented by the combined activities of human cytomegalovirus proteins IE1 and pp71.

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) immediate-early protein ICP0 is required for efficient lytic infection and productive reactivation from latency and induces derepression of quiescent viral genomes. Despite being unrelated at the sequence level, ICP0 and human cytomegalovirus proteins IE1 and pp71 share some functional similarities in their abilities to counteract antiviral restriction mediated by components of cellular nuclear structures known as ND10. To investigate the extent to which IE1 and pp71 might substitute for ICP0, cell lines were developed that express either IE1 or pp71, or both together, in an inducible manner.

Independent diagnostic accuracy of flow cytometry obtained from fine-needle aspirates: a 10-year experience with 451 cases.

Although the topic is somewhat contentious, fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is frequently used in conjunction with flow cytometry (FC) to evaluate lymphoid proliferations. Despite the fact that the FNA and FC are often analyzed independently, no previous large-scale study has independently analyzed FC of FNA specimens. FC reports of 511 FNAs were retrospectively reviewed and FC diagnoses categorized as monoclonal, atypical, normal/reactive, or insufficient cellularity (3.

Severe autoimmune neutropenia associated with acute autoimmune hepatitis.

A 49-year-old previously healthy female presented with acute hepatitis and severe neutropenia. A diagnosis of type 1 autoimmune hepatitis was made based on the histological appearance of a liver core biopsy, positive anti-smooth muscle antibodies, and positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (atypical ANCA). Hemogram revealed mild leukopenia with severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count 256/mm(3)), normal hemoglobin and mild thrombocytopenia (115000/mm(3)).

Runx2 regulates survivin expression in prostate cancer cells.

Previously we described that bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7) could protect prostate cancer C4-2B cells from serum starvation-induced apoptosis via survivin induction. Here, for the first time, we identify Runx2 as a key regulator of survivin transcription. In C4-2B cells grown normally, suppression of Runx2 reduced survivin expression.

A comparative labor productivity analysis of blood collection centers.

Background: Blood center labor benchmarking data may be helpful to optimize staffing and to establish productivity targets. Data were gathered and labor productivity was analyzed among blood donor centers of different sizes collecting different product mixes.

Study Design And Methods: Blood collection volumes and blood center labor data were obtained from eight blood centers: six regional centers, one mobile collection operation, and our hospital-affiliated center.

Extended core sequences from the cHS4 insulator are necessary for protecting retroviral vectors from silencing position effects.

The prototypic chromatin insulator cHS4 has proven effective at reducing repressive chromosomal position effects on retroviral vector expression. We report here studies designed to identify the minimal chicken hypersensitive site-4 (cHS4) sequences necessary for this activity. Using a gammaretroviral reporter vector and expression analysis in cell lines and primary mouse hematopoietic progenitor colonies, we found that a 250-bp core fragment reported to contain most of the cHS4 insulating activity failed to prevent silencing when used alone, although some barrier activity was observed when this fragment was combined with a 790-bp, but not 596-bp, spacer.

Disseminated histoplasmosis presenting as thrombotic microangiopathy.

Background: Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA) are systemic vasoocclusive disorders associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Rapid and reliable diagnosis of TMA is critical. The diagnosis is complicated by a lack of objective and sensitive laboratory testing as well as multiple concurrent diseases, including infectious processes.

Rasgrf1 imprinting is regulated by a CTCF-dependent methylation-sensitive enhancer blocker.

Imprinted methylation of the paternal Rasgrf1 allele in mice occurs at a differentially methylated domain (DMD) 30 kbp 5' of the promoter. A repeated sequence 3' of the DMD regulates imprinted methylation, which is required for imprinted expression. Here we identify the mechanism by which methylation controls imprinting.

An integrated functional genomics screening program reveals a role for BMP-9 in glucose homeostasis.

A coordinated functional genomics program was implemented to identify secreted polypeptides with therapeutic applications in the treatment of diabetes. Secreted factors were predicted from a diverse expressed-sequence tags (EST) database, representing >1,000 cDNA libraries, using a combination of bioinformatic algorithms. Subsequently, approximately 8,000 human proteins were screened in high-throughput cell-based assays designed to monitor key physiological transitions known to be centrally involved in the physiology of type 2 diabetes.

Position-effect protection and enhancer blocking by the chicken beta-globin insulator are separable activities.

The 1.2-kb DNA sequence element (5'HS4) at the 5' end of the chicken beta-globin locus has the two defining properties of an insulator: it prevents an "external" enhancer from acting on a promoter when placed between them ("enhancer blocking") and acts as a barrier to chromosomal position effect (CPE) when it surrounds a stably integrated reporter. We previously reported that a single CTCF-binding site in 5'HS4 is necessary and sufficient for enhancer blocking.